Vehicle-top



C. RUGGBR.

(No Model.)

VEHICLE TOP.

Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

' ms NATIONAL LIYNDQRAFHING cowmv.

WASHINGTON. =4 e.

UNITED STATES PATEN union.

CHARLES RUGGER, OF LUCKY VALLEY, IOWA.

VEHICLE-=TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,909, dated January2, 1894.

Application filed August 1'7,

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES RUGGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lucky Valley, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tops; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, ref erence being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to provide simple and effectivemeans for raising or lowering the tops of buggies or other likevehicles, which means are substantially shown in the drawings andhereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of a buggy top showing myinvention applied thereto, and the top both raised and lowered in fulland dotted lines respectively; Fig. 2 a detail view in perspective ofthat portion of the buggy top constituting my invention.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the usual bows of avehicle topconnected in the ordinary manner to a pivoted plate or bracket B uponeach side of the base 0 of the vehicle or to any other portion of thevehicle found most desirable. These ribs or bows over which the canvasor other covering is connected may be of any desirable shape andconstruction and any suitable top may be substituted for that shown. Themeans employed for raising or lowering the top is shown more clearly inFig. 2 and consists in part of a crank-lever D which has its bearings independing plates a upon one of the bows A. This crank-lever at or nearits center is bent to form a loop to provide a double crank-handle b andat its extremities crank-arms cwhich are pivotally connected tobrace-bars E. The brace-bars E at their opposite ends are pivotallyconnected to one of the bows upon each side of the top through themedium of suitable arms F, or by any other preferred means found mostdesirable.

To the sides of the top is suitably connect- 1893- Serial No. 483,404-(No model.)

ed the usual jointed stay-bars G and by my improved device said bars arebrought into position when the top is raised.

The raising or lowering of the top is very readily and convenientlyaccomplished by simply reaching above the vehicle seat and grasping thecrank-handle b and by giving it a downward and backward pull the jointsof the brace-bars E and bars F will be broken and the top can then bethrown back. The top may be thrown in place again by grasping thecrank-handle b and pushing upward and forward. It will be noticed thatthe crank-lever D extends from one side of the vehicle top to the otherand is formed from one piece of metal. The center or middle portion isbent to form a loop whereby a handle with a double crank is provided andthe extremities or ends of the lever are bent to form crank-arms, thusproviding a very simple and inexpensive device that can be readilyapplied to any of the ordinary carriage or vehicle tops. Both a simpleand very eifective device is thereby provided for raising or loweringthe top of a vehicle which device possesses both strength and durabilityand will not readily get out of order.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

A vehicle top provided with means for raising and lowering the same,consisting of a lever extending horizontally from one side of the top tothe other and terminating in crankarms and pivoted connections betweenthe arms and usual jointed bars, said lever at or near its center bentto form aloop to provide a handle having a double crank, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RUGGER.

Witnesses:

' E. G. TENNANT, A. BRUNELL.

